NARRATIVE OF THE CRUISE. 161 



the 31st were spent in sounding and dredging on the south and southeastern sides, pro- 

 ceeding into harbour on the afternoon of the 31st. 



The deposits between Bermuda and the coast of North America showed, irrespective of 

 depth, a regular decrease in the quantity of carbonate of lime as the American shores 

 were approached. While over 50 per cent, occurred at 2600 fathoms about 100 

 miles from Bermuda, only 15 and 16 per cent, was found in 1240 and 1250 fathoms 

 near the American shores. The large pelagic Foraminifera made up the principal 

 part of the carbonate of lime in the deposits around Bermuda, but they disappeared 

 almost completely from the bottom when within the influence of the Labrador Cur- 

 rent. Rhabdoliths likewise disappeared from the bottom along with the larger tropical 

 pelagic Foraminifera, while Coccospheres were found in the deposits under the Labrador 

 Current. 



The mineral particles increased in size and number as the American continent was 

 approached, where they consisted of fragments of quartz, monoclinic and triclinic 

 felspars, hornblende, augite, magnetite, mica, and glauconite. On the 7th May a large 

 block of syenite weighing 490 lbs., which had become jammed between the arms of the 

 dredge, was brought up from 1340 fathoms. In this and the other dredgings within the 

 influence of the Labrador Current, over 100 miles from the shore, many stones were 

 dredged, most of these being rounded pebbles or large grains with rounded angles ; 

 nearly two-thirds of the smaller fragments were milky quartz, whilst the larger frag- 

 ments were quartzite, compact limestone, dolomite, mica-schist, and serpentine rocks, 

 some of them with glacial striations. The deposits along the American coast were blue 

 muds with a reddish surface layer, in which quartz and fragments of ancient rocks were 

 abundant, making up over 60 per cent, of the deposits in 1240 and 1350 fathoms, while 

 these minerals were not detected in the deposits around Bermuda. 



The dredgings and trawlings in very deep water around Bermuda were not very 

 productive : in 2650 fathoms six Ophioglypha bullata, one Amphiura verrilli, two 

 Calymne relicta, some empty worm tubes and a few Shrimps were obtained; in 1075 

 fathoms there were Bathyactis symmetrica, Deltocyathus italicus, Ophiacantha se.gesta, 

 Amphiura duplicata, several species of Trochus and other Molluscs, a Pagurid, Galatheids, 

 several Shrimps and siliceous Sponges ; in 435 fathoms Caryophyllia cylindracea, Axohelia 

 dumetosa, Cladocora arbuscula, Ophiomusium cancellation, Ophiopyren longispinus, 

 Ophiacantha troscheli, Ophiomitra chelys, Astroschema brachiatum, a species of Crania, 

 several Molluscs, Alcyonarians, Crustaceans, and Sponges. In depths of less than 50 

 fathoms a large number of genera and species were obtained. 



The dredgings and trawlings in 1700, 1240, 1350, 1250 fathoms and lesser depths 

 along the coast of North America yielded a very large number of genera and species, the 

 fauna having a decidedly Arctic character, many of the species being identical with those 



(narr. chall. Exr. — vol. i. — 1884.) 21 



/ 



